Interestingly enough, I got my Bastila and Ponda on the same day that JT saw them at Star Trader in Disneyland, though I got mine in the morning.

The Starspeeders scaled to 3.75" figs are available at DL now, incidentally. Even with the pass holder discount, I decided to wait for a review or two before making a decision on it. Also, Muppet SW figure 2 packs are out. Sam/Obi wan, Gonzo Vader (Dearth Nadir actually) and Camilla Stormie are the best of the 4 sets available.

12-13-2011

JediTricks

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tycho

Thanks, JT. A very informative response.

BTW, I think my idea would work in your example of the SW panels:

It's all in 6ABC or 7ABC rooms every year, right?

1) So when you register, you request tickets for 6ABC from 11-12, 12-1, 1-2, 2-3 - however many panels you plan on.

2) After the 11-12 panel, say it's Hasbro, you can stay in your seat for 12-1, which might be Clone Wars. The usher comes around and collects from you your ticket for that panel or asks you to leave the room if you do not have one. Then someone with a ticket for the 12-1 Clone Wars comes in your place. There are standing room tickets (seats would be first-come-first-served) and capacity filled with those allowed to stand.

3) If the seats or standing room is not filled, the wait line is admitted for non-ticketed guests who take the chance they want to get it. Then they have to leave before the next panel unless they have the ticket for that.

THE TICKETS MUST ALWAYS BE FREE - JUST REQUESTED IN ADVANCE OF THE CON ON YOUR ACCOUNT ORDER - AND YOU CAN ADD TO THEM UP TO THE TUESDAY BEFORE BADGE PICK-UP BEGINS ON WEDNESDAY - even though everyone will have to buy their actual Convention badges far earlier. (This is just because the program is never finalized until the last minute). Problems with the rest of this proceedure might have to be answered by "tough luck, Senior." Though I don't want to stretch this post out to try and anticipate every problem with the policy. It can be adapted of course. We learn by doing.

4) Those that want to hog a seat up front in Hall H for example, can still do so, if their event is at 3pm and they get their seat for every event from 11-12, 12-1, 1-2, and 2-3, or work with friends to keep it (with tickets though). Then it's the same as before: if you want to see the Avengers presentation at 3, you keep your seat by sitting through the Smurfs sequel at noon, and the Charlie Sheen impersonators at 2, until what you want to see comes on at 3. Else, you can still be assured you'll get in at 3 with your ticket to Hall H for 3, however, you'll sit in the back (probably - unless no one else is interested in The Avengers).

Now, what did you mean by "renting Hall H or Ballroom 20 on Sunday?" I saw Sons of Anarchy on Sunday, as they also had that in Hall H the year before, and also on Sunday. So I thought they always had programs in there. NO WAIT! You are correct I think. I remember there being years where I did not go to CC at all on Sunday because there were no panels I wanted to see and I didn't need to spend any more money, haha.

If anything, I think CC has gotten better, because for the past several years, I have attended on Sunday with an interest to see things. I think I even saw a Smallville panel or 2 on Sundays with you, JT. (Those were on Sundays, right?)

I attend Comic Con first for seeing the new Star Wars / Transformers and visiting with Hasbro, and 2nd for the panels, most likely - as I have almost never stood in line for exclusives or done much shopping - save for those Hot Toys Terminator figures I had to have.

Also, where and how do you vote to see the panel re-caps? Then where do you watch them? It still holds to be more fun to actually go to the panel - like a live SoA panel will have mostly Sons of Anarchy fans in it, so I can meet others who like what I do. There may be some saving their seat for the panel afterwards of course (even with my new ingenious and amazing and awesome and perefectly-well-thought-out-seating-system that I invented above) but at a recap showing of popular panels voted for, you're really likely to find yourself seated by people of varying interests (like meeting only Thundercats fans while I'm trying to enjoy the Walking Dead panel recap and the people next to me say "Rick? Shane? Herchel? I don't know who you're talking about." What a bummer, especially when I would know nothing about Thundercats to enjoy talking with them about.

Meeting other fans (of your stuff you like) is also part of the fun of a convention.

And what's to prevent you from ordering tickets to panels you DON'T want to see so you can get a good seat at the one you do, or to scalp to folks in line? It'd just create the same exact problem there is now, except with the added cost and time used on taking tickets, and even more cheating. And with tickets, what happens if they have to move a panel? It happens quite a bit.

The fire marshal doesn't allow standing-room viewing, you must have a seat to be allowed into a panel room. Hell, that's the reason they have to use tickets for the HasbroToyShop booth now, the booth is so popular that it gets capped by the fire marshal. And that ticket system is a mess.

Up until this year, any big panels on Sundays were always held in Ballroom 20 because SDCC organizers didn't want to shell out the money to rent the larger, more complex Hall H (it requires more security and admin people) for only 1500 more seats (blrm 20 has 4500, hall H has 6000). This year, however, they rented Hall H on Sunday but did not rent Ballroom 20 that day.

Smallville panels were on Saturdays, I believe, in stupid 6bcf -- the room that holds 2100 and has just 1 screen right above the dais.

The "Hall H and Ballroom 20 Panel Playback" panels were Thurs - Sat, 8 to 11pm, in room 25ABC, and I have no idea how the voting worked because I didn't go. My guess is they'd just ask the audience to make noise for which ones they wanted to see. 3 hours without the entertainment clips probably would fit 4 panels in, but that's out of 16 panels between the 2 venues per day, so your odds were 1 in 4. I had them on each one of my schedules, but just never made it. I liked hanging out with people of different interests, I met nice folks at the panels I sat through for Avatar and a few others over the years - some folks just want to show how cool their thing is before they talk about whatever.

12-16-2011

Tycho

Quote:

Originally Posted by JediTricks

And what's to prevent you from ordering tickets to panels you DON'T want to see so you can get a good seat at the one you do,

You can sit in the room all day now. There would be no difference. The individual has to make the effort to get their tickets and plant their backside. But at least someone else that wants to see that second panel is garaunteed a seat if they pre-plan it, and don't waste their time in line.

Quote:

or to scalp to folks in line? It'd just create the same exact problem there is now, except with the added cost and time used on taking tickets, and even more cheating.

All of Comic Con is scalping. Do you need the new Yuuzhan Vong figure? I'll get it for you at Wal-Mart for $6.99 right now. But if you want to pick it up from me when you come to Comic Con, it will cost you $55.99 plus a service charge fee ;)

By the same token, I can wait in the best seat in Hall H and right before "Harry Potter" starts, I can tell someone that I'll surrender my seat for them to take photographs if they give me 20 bucks. Who's going to prevent that now?

Quote:

And with tickets, what happens if they have to move a panel? It happens quite a bit.

The tickets would be good in the new room. That one was simple. If a concert gets cancelled or a ball game gets rained out - event management deals with that every day.

Quote:

The fire marshal doesn't allow standing-room viewing, you must have a seat to be allowed into a panel room. Hell, that's the reason they have to use tickets for the HasbroToyShop booth now, the booth is so popular that it gets capped by the fire marshal. And that ticket system is a mess.

Good point. However, I always see people standing anyway.

Thanks for the other info, BTW.

12-20-2011

bikerscout

extra figs - moving

EDIT: Super bulk deal pending on scum as of 12/20. Still feel free to pm. Thx.

Posted on scum - posting here as well (i know, wrong area). Rather deal locally though - makes things easier. Giving you and RS forumites first dibs, if they don't move soon, then they'll go up on craigslist.

I have extra TSC and TAC that I'm selling. Have to move at the end of the month. Price negotiable, esp. bulk orders. All are carded right now, MOC. Buyer pays shipping which will be USPS 1st class unless otherwise specified. I accept paypal and MO. Carded price first, loose price second.

I may post a secondary sale later. Items may include a TAC gold coin Galactic marine and MOC TSC Scorch

12-21-2011

JediTricks

Culver City TRU - SW walking cannon vehicle. No TF deluxes of any kind since they're BOGO, the emptiest pegs you ever saw.

CC Target - another SW walking cannon vehicle. TF Deluxes of both types down to $6.99 but not marked, I bought the only Junkheap, left Black Shadow and Warpath among the Kups and Wheeljacks. Voyagers unmarked down to $15.

12-21-2011

Tycho

Wished the mandalorian gunship was out

12-21-2011

JediTricks

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tycho

Wished the mandalorian gunship was out

That is what I was looking for as well. They didn't have it at Disneyland either, though they did have the walking cannon on display behind their main counter (I didn't notice one on the shelves).

12-21-2011

El Chuxter

Redlands TRU was cleaned way out of TF Deluxe. Only a handful of Wheeljacks remained. Really, who in 1984 would think Wheeljack could ever be a pegwarmer?

They had a handful of Crimson HISS Tanks, too. One less now, as I picked out my Christmas present. :) Seems odd that this one isn't selling.

Also, JT, you'll appreciate this: about ten GIJoe mechs materialized out of absolutely nowhere within the last week. I foresee this continuing to hit Ross and Marshalls for quite some time to come, at this rate. I still want to eventually get a second Deviant.

12-22-2011

Maradona

Apparently, Vintage figures are showing up at Ross for $3.99. I haven't seen any, but did get some TRU and BBTS "exclusive" GI Joes there. If anyone is collecting the Batman Legacy 2-packs, a local Target has the Joker/Robin and Batman/Heath Ledger sets. I bought one of each an hour ago and left 2 sets there. PM for location. I think Target is open late tonight.